Debjit Mitra and Hafeez Ahmed are stepping far beyond the traditional role of musicians. They’re exploring what it means to carry the depth, nuance, and legacy of Indian classical music into a future shaped by AI.

But this isn’t just about technology. It’s about responsibility.

At a time when music can be scraped, processed, and repurposed at scale, they’re asking the difficult questions — how do we ensure that centuries of musical knowledge are respected, not diluted? How do we make Indian classical music more accessible globally, while protecting its soul? And most importantly, how do we make sure that the artists who built this vast “dataset” are fairly paid and properly credited?

In this episode of The Talktopia Sessions, hosted by Ashish Ddavidd and Abhijit Chanda, we meet two musicians from vastly different backgrounds coming together to challenge the norm — and attempt something most wouldn’t even consider. A conversation at the intersection of tradition, technology, and the future of music.

Aryan Sharma may describe himself as a singer and actor in his bio — but he’s clearly much more than that. Friendly, courteous and incredibly hardworking, Aryan has been steadily hustling and making impressive inroads into Mumbai’s fiercely competitive worlds of Bollywood playback singing and acting. In this episode, he shares stories from his journey so far — the highs, the struggles, and the lessons learned along the way.

More importantly, he talks about the mistakes to avoid when you finally land in India’s tinseltown metropolis — the proverbial city of dreams that tests everyone who arrives chasing ambition. Ever wondered what it’s really like to leave your hometown and head to Bombay in search of fame, fortune and the spotlight?

See it all through the eyes of our poster boy Aryan Sharma, in the latest episode of Talktopia Sessions, with hosts Abhijit Chanda and Ashish Ddavidd.

In this episode of The Talktopia Sessions, we sit down with Arjun Sen known also in the music circles as AJ, an accomplished Indian guitarist known for his musical depth, versatility, and years of experience across live performance, studio work, and collaborations.

Arjun talks about his journey as a guitar player in India—early influences, shaping a personal sound, navigating the live music scene, session work, practice philosophy, gear choices, and what it really takes to sustain a life in music beyond just talent at his current age of 66 and still gigging!

Ravi Iyer is a living example that one can be like no one else and still hold their own as a Musical Voice that’s endured changing tides for over three decades of life. Even if you have heard Indian Fusion you’ve probably never heard music like his and YES we do have a lot of music in this episode as usual! His life and times, his influences and beliefs, all the places he’s been to and the promises of everything that’s yet to come. All this and much more coming up in this latest episode of Talktopia Sessions with Abhijit Chanda and Ashish Ddavidd.

In this episode of Talktopia Sessions, we sit down with Pranay Verma, guitarist, composer, session musician, and one of Delhi’s most in-demand musical collaborators. From jazz and soul to blues, rock, and Brazilian grooves, Pranay has steadily built his reputation in the modern Indian independent music scene, both on stage and in the studio.

Tipriti “Tips” Kharbangar is widely regarded as one of India’s most powerful and soulful voices — a singer whose raw emotion, impeccable control, and deep musicality have inspired audiences across the country. In this interview, she opens up about her journey from growing up in Shillong’s vibrant music culture to finding her own unique sound rooted in blues, soul and the stories of the hills she comes from. With honesty and warmth, she talks about her evolution as an artist, her vocal approach, and the experiences that shaped her into one of the most respected performers in Indian independent music.

Hosts Abhijit Chanda and Ashish Ddavidd sit down with Diyatom Deb and Sushant Thakur of Big Bang Blues for a powerful, music-packed conversation. From their journey in the Delhi indie scene to the evolution of Big Bang Blues and their various other musical outfits, songwriting, tone-building, touring stories, and the soul behind their sound - this episode dives into everything that makes them one of India’s most respected blues-rock acts pan-India, including a story involving an attempted robbery, some misplaced love letters and a lost radio would, many years later, shape the sound of things to come! A fun, honest, and deeply musical chat you don’t want to miss.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Abhijit Chanda and Ashish Ddavidd sit down with Shashank Bhatnagar, the legendary ex-vocalist of Undying Inc, one of India’s most ferocious and influential metal bands. Shashank opens up about his early days in the scene, the rise of Indian metal in the 2000s, what really went on behind the sound and the stage, and how he’s evolved as an artist, performer, and human being. From brutal breakdowns to personal breakthroughs this episode dives deep into discipline, aggression, identity, and reinvention.

Whether you’re a die-hard Undying fan or just discovering the Indian metal story, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss.

We had an absolute blast hosting Winston Balman at Elf Studios, Delhi for a super fun podcast interview session. The vibe was easy and honest — just great conversations about music, life, and everything in between. Winston, with his signature mix of country, blues, and rock ’n’ roll, shared stories from his journey and insights into the indie scene in a way only he can. With the cozy, creative energy of Elf Studios' ‘Talktopia’ (our Video Podcast recording floor) as the backdrop, the chat turned into one of those sessions you just don’t want to end.